Commonly Forgotten Wedding Details

You’ve spent months preparing for your wedding and you’re feeling fully ready to go. However, there are so many details, people, vendors, and logistics that have to be managed that it’s sometimes easy for a detail to get overlooked. These things to remember for your wedding may not seem like important items now, but believe us, if you forget one of them, you’ll definitely notice.  Hopefully this cheat sheet of the most commonly forgotten wedding details will help you plan for a seamless wedding day!

laurel hall wedding

Laurel Hall, Indianapolis, Indiana. Photo by Cat Satre Photography

Point Person

Whether you have a day of coordinator or a trusted friend, a first point of contact for your wedding vendors is essential. Brides sometimes assume they’ll just answer their cell phone while getting ready, but it’s already going to be a whirlwind day for them. There’s no need to add more responsibilities and distractions to your list! This point person can also help wrangling guests for photos, gathering & transporting gifts, fielding questions from vendors, distributing payments and more.

Extra Seats at the Ceremony

Take into consideration the fact that people do not naturally sit next to each other, so you will need roughly 20 more chairs than there are people. If you are hosting a private property event or doing setup yourselves, keep this in mind. It’s always a good idea to rent extra chairs (unless your bridal party standing up will account for sufficient extras during the ceremony).

Willows on Westfield, Indianapolis, Indiana. Photo by Violet Short Photography.

Transportation

Transportation is a must-have for the wedding day, but often times this detail is overlooked. Think of how many locations you & your wedding party be traveling to during the day – getting ready location, ceremony, off-site photos, reception and hotel. Also, consider parking and traffic if in a busy city area. For ease of mind and a seamless day, it’s sometimes easiest to hire someone to be in charge of transportation.

indianapolis wedding trolley

Premier Trolley, Indianapolis, Indiana. Photo by Alison Mae Photo.

Once you have a plan in place, be sure to add 20-30 minutes of padding to your timeline for traffic and other potential delays. The timing of your transportation can mean the difference between a wedding that flows effortlessly from event to event, and a day with rushed traveling and awkward delays.

Overnight Bag

Your celebration is over and you’re ready to crash at the hotel. Plan ahead to ensure your overnight bag & necessities make it to your hotel. Make sure to include everything you’ll need or want on wedding night and the next morning – like lingerie, toiletries, makeup, phone charger and a change of clothes and shoes for the next day.

bride overnight bag

Pre-Wedding Meals

Feed yourself! Plan for breakfast and/or lunch for yourself and your wedding party before the ceremony. Depending on how many mouths you plan to feed, you can call ahead and pre-order or give this task to an eager family member who wants to help. My favorites are Jimmy John’s sandwich platters and order ahead Panera meals.

indiana caterer

Jeanette Molina Catering, Bloomington, Indiana. Photo by Courtney Carney Photography

Emergency Kit

As day-of coordination experts, we always have an entire rolling case of emergency necessities. These “just in case” items can fix almost any little wedding-day problems or hiccup. Got a pounding headache pre-ceremony? Pop an Advil. Did you spill some red wine or bust a seam? Luckily we’ve packed some Shout Wipes and a mini sewing kit! From safety pins to deodorant, an emergency kit can be a real lifesaver on the big day.

Here are some of my most commonly used emergency kit items:

  • Needle and thread
  • Safety pins
  • Feminine hygiene products
  • Hairspray
  • Pain reliever
  • Breath mints/dental floss
  • Bobby pins
  • Wet wipes/Shout wipes
  • Deodorant
  • Super glue & a variety of tape
  • Scissors
  • Stiletto caps (especially if the ground is uneven, ie. soft grass, deck, etc.)
  • Paper towels to dry off bouquets
  • Black socks for groomsmen who may forget
  • Bridal party phone chargers

Extra Shoes

Even if you last 99% of the night in your gorgeous wedding day heels, you’ll be glad not to be going around barefoot in your wedding dress if you do need to take the heels off.  Bring along a fun pair of Converse or cute-but-comfy sandals so you can dance the night away without being crippled by blisters. You won’t regret bringing along a backup pair of some comfy shoes!

wedding bride converse shoes

Photo by Laura Von Photography

Designate Someone to Gather Up Gifts, Décor, and Personal Items

Don’t assume everyone will stick around at the end of the night to help gather up items. With a long tiring day and flowing alcohol, this is usually the last thing on anyone’s mind. If you don’t have wedding coordinator to assist, consider assigning a willing volunteer the role of removing personal items at the end of the night. It is important to ensure valuable items don’t get left behind, including personal items, guest book, toasting flutes, and cake-cutting utensils. And don’t forget the top tier of your cake, if you want to save it for your first anniversary!

And while some venues will allow you until the next day to remove your decor, you probably won’t want to dampen your first morning as a married couple by disassembling the party and cleaning up.

industry wedding indiana

Industry, Indianapolis, Indiana. Photo by Laura Von Photography

If you check these commonly forgotten wedding details off your list, you’ll be one step closer to a seamless wedding day! Remember, delegation is key so keep yourself on track by building your support system with a trustworthy wedding day team, whether it be a professional coordinator or trusted friend.